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It’s an interesting time for women’s health care, to say the least. With the recent passage of the American Health Care Act by the U.S. House of Representatives, obstetrician-gynecologists are faced with an uncertain political future. You may have the same questions that I do. Will this impact the way we practice and how we provide the best care for our patients?

As I took the reins as the 68th President of The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists last week, I discussed the importance of the Hippocratic Oath, one of the oldest binding commitments in history. Building from the central premise to ‘first do no harm,’ it outlines our responsibilities and obligations as ob-gyns to provide the best evidence-based care to all of our patients. These are our moral values, our core values and as women’s health care provides we have long demonstrated the passion and compassion in the clinical care of our patients.

At medical school graduations and hooding ceremonies at Duke University and many other institutions, all physicians in attendance have the opportunity to reaffirm and recite the Hippocratic Oath with the graduating medical school class. It’s a great reminder of why we do what we do:

“I will apply for the benefit of the sick, all measures that are required, avoiding those twin traps of overtreatment and therapeutic nihilism.”

“I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person’s family and economic stability.”

“My responsibilities include those related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick.”

Regardless of the political climate, I urge you to remember that we are ACOG: the primary advocate for women’s health care. We cannot waiver on our position on key issues including the primacy of patient welfare, patient autonomy and social justice. These values address our societal contract as physicians; considering the available resources and needs of all while taking care of the individual.

We have many challenges ahead and hurdles to overcome especially in regard to access and affordability of essential benefits for pregnancy care and age appropriate preventative well woman’s screenings. However, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to women’s health care. I look forward to working with you, my colleagues, and our new Fellows who took the oath last week to provide the best clinical care to women of this country.